"I do think that they're going to be in a lot of games," Herbstreit said in a phone interview with NJ.com. "Whether or not they make the plays in the second half to win them, we'll see. But the idea that they're a pushover or they're going to be an easy win, I just don't happen to agree with that."

Herbstreit, who was in Manhattan on Tuesday to promote Allstate's "Good Hands" sweepstakes, said the play of senior quarterback Gary Nova will dictate how competitive the Scarlet Knights will be this season.

"He's got tremendous upside," Herbstreit said. "There have been moments when you look at him and you say, 'Wow, this guy has it figured out.' And then the turnovers just have killed him. He's got to make better decisions, quicker decisions and he's got to avoid the disastrous play. I think, on paper, they're going to be good enough defensively to hang around in a lot of games. To be able to pull off some surprises and win, the offense cannot self-destruct. That means his decision-making is going to be paramount."

Enter new offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen. The veteran coach was brought on board this offseason and his primary task has been correcting the issues that have plagued Nova.

Herbstreit is the latest in a long line of college football insiders to sing Friedgen's praises.

"I'm a huge fan of Fridge," Herbstreit said. "He'll build his system to the talent that he has. I've been in his office and the amount of film that he has going back to the 80s is just ridiculous – how much film study he does and research he does. So they're in great hands. I think that was an outstanding hire and I'm looking forward to seeing him back in the mix. He's an innovator. He's an aggressive play-caller. He'll be tough on the guys, but I think he has to be to be able to get them to understand what he wants."

On the other side of the ball, Herbstreit expressed optimism that Rutgers will return to its strong defensive roots after an uncharacteristically weak 2013 season.

"I just think it's in their DNA," Herbstreit said. "I have a lot of respect for this program going back to '04 or '05 and the way that they were able to play with that aggressive, blue-collar attitude and the whole 'Keep chopping' philosophy. Those players in that era really bought into it and I think they left a legacy behind. Even though it was a down year (in 2013), I think a lot of that had to do with the youth that was on that side of the football."

With 16 returning starters, Herbstreit believes Rutgers is well-positioned for this season. But if things go in the wrong direction, Herbstreit expects coach Kyle Flood's seat to get hot.

"I think it's a big year," Herbstreit said. "Let's not hide the fact that (former Rutgers coach) Greg Schiano is sitting around doing TV this year. I don't know if it's a possibility, but if they were to struggle, you know there will be people that will start to bring his name up. I'm not saying that's accurate or fair, but that's the world we live in today."

Herbstreit doesn't necessarily see that scenario unfolding, as he's been impressed with Flood. But Herbstreit knows the results on the field will determine the future of the program.

"He's got a great energy about him," Herbstreit said. "I think he believes in what he's doing. He's made some great hires. He's got a veteran team. Even though he's going into the deep end of the pool by joining the Big Ten, I think he's got to be able to feel pretty good about their chances as far as getting off to a good start in his first year.

"I wouldn't sit there if I was a Rutgers fan and say they need to win X amount of games for us to be satisfied in this new endeavor. I think it's more about, 'Are we competing? Are we looking the way we're supposed to look?' And there were moments last year where that was not the case. I think that's what would be a fair way to watch Rutgers because they're a veteran team now. Look at them and see the overall vibe and the direction of where they're headed this year in what a lot of people would look at as a pivotal year."